Anakin and Obi-Wan, Brothers or father/son (not literally)

It always bothered me when Anakin says to Obi-Wan, "your the closest thing I have to a father". But they really never acted like that there more like brothers.

Especially in ROTS the way they pal around and when Anakin is laying helpless on the bank of the Mustafar lava river. When Obi Wan says Anakin you were "like my brother, I loved you".

If any one would be Anakins father emotinally it would be Palpatine.




Emporer Gerner Dark Lord of the Sith

 

It always bothered me when Anakin says to Obi-Wan, "your the closest thing I have to a father". But they really never acted like that there more like brothers.


Dont let it bother you, they were more like brothers, except maybe when Anakin first arrived on Coruscant. Palps was the father figure to him.

 

It was meant to be that in AotC hes a father figure and in RotS hes a brother figure. GL wanted it that way.

 

Yes, indeed. But George's real point here is that Obi-Wan is like a family member to Anakin. They're closer than just Master/Padawan or even Knight/Knight, they've gone from like a father/son thing to a very strong brotherly connection, one that should have been stronger than Anakin's relationship with Palpatine.

 

this is very well said and it shows just how disfunctional their relationship was.

I think it is to help show that Kenobi was too young to train Skywalker, he should be like a father figure but is more of a big brother.

instead of Anakin having the respect he should and learning from Kenobi their relationship is more of a sibling rivalry where Anakin is not so much trying to learn from Kenobi but instead trying to best or 'out do' him.

They do love each other, but because of their ages and experience and basically being human they can't help but compete.

This is a sharp contrast to TPM where Qui-Gon was old enough to have the deep respect of both young men and not have this kind of competion.

Nearly any of the experienced masters of the order would have been better suited to train Anakin than Kenobi, simply because their ages differ by barely a decade or so.

 

Malikail
Nearly any of the experienced masters of the order would have been better suited to train Anakin than Kenobi, simply because their ages differ by barely a decade or so.

If Qui-Gon did not train Anakin, Yoda should have. Or maybe Mace Windu (to lower the tension between Anakin and Mace). I don't blame Obi-Wan at all, or his inexperience; Anakin had developed strong attachments to his mother and padme in tPM - he needed special treatment.

emporergerner
If any one would be Anakins father emotinally it would be Palpatine.

He even called Anakin "son."

The one thing that bothered me in RotS, the fact Mace Windu calls Anakin a boy. "It's very dangerous, putting them together. I don't think the boy can handle it. I don't trust him." If Mace Windu thinks of Anakin as a boy, then help him out, and whatever you do, don't let Palpatine be the one who helps Anakin.

 

Anakin saw Obi-wan like a father, but Obi-wan saw him as a brother. However, both agreed that they were good friends. The bond that they shared was deep and one that was broken by Anakin. Which is one reason that he didn't want to fight him. Our bonds are all that we have in this world. To break that bond is to turn your back on everything.

 

Agreed. Their relationship was imbalanced. A father/son relationship is more appropriate for a master/padawan relationship, not elder brother/younger brother. And since they were not on the same page, then the imbalance leads to problem. Anakin never had a father. Qui-Gonn could and should have filled that role; Obi-Wan failed to do so; Palpatine finally fulfilled this role.

 

Well, not much to say besides..highly perceptive.

 

I would say that Obi-Wan is much more the brotherly figure, and that Qui-Gon held the fatherly role, adn Palps had teh understanding wise old uncle.
~Azure_Angel

 

I agree with whoever says that it shows how dysfunctional their relationship was.

Anakin Skywalker ?wanted? a father. It?s part of the reason why he was so quickly/easily attached to Qui-Gon Jinn. Apart from his mysterious birth, there was no older male guardian in his life and he ?adopted? Qui-Gon the moment the Jedi showed an interest in him. Then Qui-Gon died, Obi-Wan became his Master and Anakin transferred that father affection to Obi-Wan.

Only it wasn?t that simple.

Obi-Wan was too young both physically and maturity-wise to fill in those father boots. So he treated Anakin like a big brother. That dysfunctional really shows in Attack of the Clones can be traced to that. Anakin wants a father, and wants Obi-Wan to treat him like a son; Obi-Wan sees Anakin as a brother and treats him as such. .

Even in Revenge of the Sith, when their relationship is more balanced, you still see a lot of that father-reverence in the way Anakin treats Obi-Wan. There?s a sense of ?son carrying aged father on his back? in the way he carries Obi-Wan in Grievous? ship. More symbolically, he shies away from coming to Obi-Wan with his problems with Padmé, the same way a grown-up child would shy away from going back home with problems. He apologizes before the departure to Utapua, the way a child would apologize to a parent. He emphasizes that Obi-Wan trained him, Anakin when they arrive on Coruscant ? and doesn?t seize on the opportunity to spout themselves as equals.

Palpatine, standing in the shadows, is more than eager to step into the ?father? space in Anakin?s life, but it?s worth noting that no matter how often Palpatine calls on him as ?son? (I need your help son ?), Anakin never regards him as anything more than a very, very good and respected friend. It?s Obi-Wan who he repeatedly declares as the closest thing he has ever had to a father.

 

I agree with you. It's such unnecessary dialogue. It doesn't even fit.

 

Guys its obvious anakin looks to obi-wan (in episode 3) as if he were still his master not a father or brother and obi-wan views anakin as a friend and brother

 

They're actually more equal as displayed by the banter between them. Anakin only calls him Master, because it is an honorific. All senior ranking Masters are called that, by the Knights and Padawans. Hence Obi-wan calling Mace and Yoda Master, in AOTC and ROTS.

 

Plus the fact that he's so used to Obi-Wan being his teacher, it could have partially been an old habbit he hadn't broken yet. I agree he should be saying it as an honorific title, but when have you seen Anakin be respectful anyway?

 

If you read the EU version of ROTS the scene were Anakin sees Obi-wan off has Obi-wan even going as far as to tell Anakin not to call him master anymore, implying that they are to close for such formality to exist. But that's just EU and can't really be counted.

WOOt 500th post

 

The 'closest thing to a father' line IMO was put in to show how close they are and for that only reason was it necessary to hear that. I agree it doesn't fit but it was needed in the new movie to establish a very close relationship between them.

Palpatine could have filled the father-figure but because of Anakin's irreverence I'm not sure anyone could have. Anakin was just way too interested in his powers and knew he was more powerful than anyone that's why he became so arrogant.

I don't think even Obi-Wan ever looked at Anakin like a son but then consider that he was already a master and Ani still a padawan, it would have looked even more awkward to declare a 'brotherhoood' so early on, especially at this time in their relationship. Brothers do compete but they also are more or less on the same level and these two weren't in AOTC.

By ROTS they gained each other's respect so being brothers (in arms) is a more likely title for their bond. Anakin probably only calls Obi-Wan master still because of a habit. I'm just reading the book of ROTS and Obi-Wan has just asked Anakin here in the opening scene to stop calling him master all the time. He feels a more equal stature is more appropriate by now.

 

DarthNidLoc
If you read the EU version of ROTS the scene were Anakin sees Obi-wan off has Obi-wan even going as far as to tell Anakin not to call him master anymore, implying that they are to close for such formality to exist. But that's just EU and can't really be counted.


chrisfree
I don't think even Obi-Wan ever looked at Anakin like a son but then consider that he was already a master and Ani still a padawan, it would have looked even more awkward to declare a 'brotherhoood' so early on, especially at this time in their relationship. Brothers do compete but they also are more or less on the same level and these two weren't in AOTC.


Now all of a sudden, I'm questioning Obi-Wan's ability to train an apprentice. That's a horrible situation for both Obi-Wan and Anakin! Even by AotC, Anakin's powers seem greater than Obi-Wan's. But maybe there just wasn't much to teach Anakin about the force.


ANAKIN: Don't get me wrong. Obi-Wan is a great mentor. As wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu. I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. Only, in some ways, a lot of ways, I'm ahead of him. I'm ready for the trials. Only he believes I'm too unpredictable, he won't let me move on.
PADMÉ: That must be frustrating.

 

Well it's clearly meant that when they are not in the company of other Jedi that Obi-wan doesn't want Anakin to call him master. Anakin would have to in council meetings etc as that would be a more formal occasion were it would be expected.

 

The possession of a thing and the ability to use it - as it was dictated by the Jedi - are two different things. As a saying goes: 'Knowing the path is not the same as walking it.' But that's a different thread, I believe.
Obi-Wan, afaik, never claimed he was a good teacher. It came across in TPM to me that he wasn't all that keen on taking Anakin on but he already promised Qui-Gon. I think he just tried to keep Anakin on the path he knew, as much as he was able. I believe he didn't cultivate any illusions about Anakin's abilities and/or his own teaching skills, thus the more brotherhood sort of relationship.

 

I'd just say they were close friends. Up until Anakin went buggo of course...